Barely 36 years old (and with an uncanny resemblance to Juan Luis Guerra, the Dominican music star), Nayib appears to be a young man in a very big hurry. From a prominent Palestinian/Salvadoran family headed by his businessman father, Armando Bukele, he seems to have been something of a child prodigy starting his own business at the age of 19 and becoming Mayor of 'Nuevo Cuscatlan', on the outskirts of the capital, in 2012 at the tender age of 31.

In 2015 Bukele ran for Mayor of San Salvador and won as a candidate for the FMLN, the traditional leftist party in El Salvador filled with ex-Comandantes and other activists left over from the civil war cadres. The prior president of the country, Mauricio Funes, and the present occupant of that office, the 73 year old Salvador Sanchez Ceren, both came up through the ranks of the FMLN.

Bukele is a man of progressive ideas and a modern outlook. He sports a sophisticated and educated wife, Gabriela Rodriguez de Bukele, who joins her husband in public service and as an active campaign participant. Bukele appears very attached to his attractive and intelligent wife and they often appear together. Mrs. Bukele is also busy on her own with a variety of municipal projects dealing with infant health, elementary education and youth violence. She is also, on occasion, a surrogate for him at events.

I attended the 'Nuevas Ideas' sponsored rally at the Cococabana Night Club in Langley Park on Friday, November 17th. The venue was packed from beginning to end with roughly 600 blue collar, working class Salvadorans who waited 90 minutes to hear from Bukele and stayed for over 3 hours clapping, shreiking, laughing and heckling the stage. Nayib seemed very comfortable with his audience and surprisingly humble. It was an adoring crowd mostly young and heavily female. He has tapped into the Salvadoran Diaspora worldwide not only for votes, but for fundraising as well.

And therein lies Mr. Bukele's strategy to win. He's running as a populist phenomenon supported by a younger, post-civil war generation. His base is in the capital and the largely liberal and leftist communities of Salvadorans living abroad. He figures it will be a 3 way race and he'll need in excess of 1.5 million votes which is about what the current President received He believes very strongly he can increase his possibilities if he organizes a large group of voters from outside the country. This has never worked before (it is only recently that Salvadorans living outside the country have had the right to vote) and there is some skepticism as to whether he can do it now, but there is no doubt he is heavily invested in this strategy, thus the repeated visits to extra-territorial Salvadoran communities.

He's criticized the current FMLN leadership including the President in harsh terms as corrupt and out of touch. Expelled from the party on October 10th of this year, he has embarked on a long shot, insurgent campaign splitting the left and throwing the FMLN into turmoil. Though enemies have compared him to Trump, the better analogy is Bernie Sanders. He is a renegade rebel attacking the government and the FMLN from the left.

His rallies, including the one I attended, repeat revolutionary slogans such as 'El Pueblo Unido Jamas Sera Vencido' (The People United Will Never Be Defeated) and others that lend a fervor to the events that seems quaintly out of place - relics of a prior era. His rhetoric is filled with specific promises that sound eerily familiar, as if we were listening to a Democratic Ward heeler espouse his platform. Eloquent elaborations of what needs to be done in the long term. Proposals that seem impractical or utopian at best. He regularly and openly speaks of his campaign as a movement and tells his followers that if he were to be assassinated another leader would come along, and another... but what seems clear is that he feels his task is to save El Salvador from the situation it is in.

Regardless of the rhetorical flourishes or the USA like promises it is obvious that Bukele has tapped into a deep well spring of political energy. He is a charismatic leader who dazzles his audiences and has created a large and dedicated following. He has become a symbol of hope for the future and given voice to the dream of a powerful, prosperous El Salvador. And whereas his achievements as Mayor engender controversy and mixed reviews, he has a clear, solid record and has aggressively staked out his ideals and intentions for the capital city and wants to test them out on the entire country.

Young, well educated, politically ambitious, progressive and from a wealthy family, Bukele's journey reminds us more of a Kennedy-esque crusade than a typical Central American political campaign. What remains to be seen is if he can convert this into a successful government program or whether he will survive the fractured, violence prone 'pulgarcito' of Central America to fulfill those promises!

Suave, soft spoken and earnest, Macri related how he is opening up the Argentine economy while retaining the approval of a majority of his countrymen for the reforms taking place. He was clear and emphatic in his rejection of the so-called 'populism' of the past 15 years that, in his view, kept his country isolated and mired in conflict and corruption. Macri has slashed taxes on agricultural exports, paid off international bond holders and negotiated new loans and assistance from the large multi-lateral lending agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), World Bank and FMI among others. With Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the IDB, seated in the front row Macri described initial agreements on infrastructure development and improvements totaling hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade. He stated his goal of limiting inflation to single digits, eliminating corruption and creating good paying, productive jobs for his people.

Macri joked about his time as head of Boca Juniors Soccer Club, claiming it was an even more difficult position than his term as Mayor of Buenos Aires. He was clear, succinct and diplomatic when asked about his 'wonderful' meeting at the White House with his old friend from another life and added some thoughtful insights into the situation Venezuela faces today and the reaction of MERCOSUR and the OAS to the situation. Interviewed by the always tactful and knowledgeable Mack McClarty, Chief of Staff under the Clinton administration, it was a remarkable 45 minutes. CSIS made special mention of the popularity of the event which attracted an impressive audience. According to Mr. Macri it was an example of how Argentina has once again become an outward looking, sophisticated, welcoming society ready to do business with the United States. In the tense, divided atmosphere of Washington DC, it was almost refreshing to hear Mr. Macri's optimism and faith in democracy.

Early on Kaine & Tejada organized and attended each other's events across N. Va. in venues such as the Marriott at Key Bridge and the Salsa Room on Columbia Pike. This photo from 2008 was taken at the Marriot.

I would again meet the Governor, then Democratic Party Chair and finally Senator, at public events over the next decade. On each occasion he was equally attentive and always supportive of a progressive local agenda. Most of the times we met it was at Tejada's insistence. Kaine was a supporter and proponent of Walter and backed him whenever and wherever possible. In the meantime Walter had built himself a solid reputation as a loyal soldier and solid Democrat. During the elections for Governor and especially Senator it was Tejada who organized, pounded the pavement and rallied the troops for Tim in our area -and helped him achieve the margin of victory he needed.

The last time I had the pleasure of hosting the good Senator from Virginia was in March of this year. The National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) put forward a Legislative Summit on the Hill and at the National Press Building. It was an historic event in that both African American (NNPA) and Hispanic publishers joined together for the first time to sponsor a combined Summit. We also partnered with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to produce the 3 day conference. Our liaison at CHCI was a wonderful young Ecuadoran American, Irving Burbano. He was an ex-Kaine staffer and raved about the cooperative and egalitarian spirit of the Senator's office, the open door policy and the collective spirit of the team. He managed to get our invitation in front of the Senator who accepted the invitation to be our keynote speaker at the plenary luncheon.

To our great embarrassment the African American publishers, who had previously scheduled an engagement at Howard University, were caught in DC traffic and we waited almost an hour for their arrival. Senator Kaine waited patiently while the rest of us were a nervous wreck. He had a vote in the Senate and had allotted 45 minutes for his speech. Walter Tejada had been invited and sat with the Senator along with Alberto Avendaño from El Tiempo Latino, another 'friend of Tim' and Martha Montoya, Chair of the NAHP. Through it all the Senator waited good naturedly, chatting with those present, taking pictures and telling stories.

Finally, Kaine took to the podium and launched into a 25 minute speech where he explained his views on where the country was headed, his work with the US/Spain Council, how important it was to elect Hillary Clinton and why he would make a good Vice Presidential candidate. He spoke about running for Vice President in a manner that was less campaigning for the position himself and more about what he could do to help Democrats elect the next President. He explained how he would deliver Virginia for Clinton and provide a different viewpoint and message on the campaign trail. It all seemed a very natural and dispassionate argument. He didn't appear to be pushing it or exhorting anyone to pressure the Clinton candidacy in his favor. And yes, he gave part of the speech in Spanish, but not in a manner that said 'see, I can speak your language', but in a way that flowed naturally into the speech and made important points.

Senator Kaine during his keynote speech before the joint Legislative Summit of the NNPA and NAHP, at the National Press Club this past March. Even then there was a sense he might be the VP candidate for the Democrats, although he made light of it.

To our minds in that room, there was no doubt he would be an effective, outstanding Vice President and that our community would be well respected and welcomed by this new administration. Many of us, who preferred Julian Castro at the time and who thought it would be exciting to have the first Hispanic VP, left very impressed with his performance. His local activism gave him credibility among those of us from this area and his command of Spanish and understanding of Hispanics -and the political debt he owes us- made him a particularly sympathetic figure. He treated us like family.

On Senator Kaine's last visit to the NAHP he posed with various Hispanic publishers at the National Press Club. Featured in the photo; Dante Viscarra of La Comunidad News in Wisconsin, Gonzalo Aguirre, La Conexion in North Carolina, Elias Gutierrez, Latino Detroit, Senator Tim Kaine, Martha Montoya, El Mundo of Washington State and Chairperson NAHP Board, far right Alberto Avendaño, El Tiempo Latino Washington DC.

After the speech at the Press Club he took questions and worked the room, relaxed, calmly, as if he had the entire afternoon for us. Everyone was at ease and charmed by his attention. He stayed with us close to 2 hours that day, ultimately explaining he had to leave because there was a vote on legislation he was co-sponsoring on the Hill. He was gracious, generous with his time, genuine, interesting and challenging with his message. That week there were a spate of stories in African American and Hispanic publications across the country and many of our publishers left speaking about: 'Mi amigo Tim'.

The Congressman from Florida's 18th District is a phenomenon to behold. A 32 year old accountant by training who entered politics in 2012, he comes from a storied South Florida family. His father, Tom Murphy Jr., built Coastal Construction, one of the most successful construction companies in the region. Patrick entered politics by barely defeating the notorious 'tea party' darling Alan West by less than a percentage point. Subsequent to that election, the most expensive congressional campaign in history, he cruised to a victory in 2014 spending $5.3 million and garnering 60% of the vote in a majority Republican district in a 'wave' election that heavily favored the Republicans. A rising Democratic star in Florida politics, his ambition spurred him to declare his candidacy for the Senate barely three years after his initial run and more than 18 months before the Senate election takes place.

In a private interview on Capitol Hill we asked Mr. Murphy how he expected to win the Senate seat held by Marco Rubio in a state that is a complicated maze for most Democrats. Patrick favors raising the minimum wage, Obamacare -with some caveats-, supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship and on most Democratic issues is a fairly orthodox, middle of the road Dem; "I’m a consensus-builder who is working to boost the economy by cutting waste in government, raise the minimum wage, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and protect the Everglades. I’ve done all of this by being an independent voice for Florida, and that’s what the Senate needs more of right now."

Already at this stage of the contest Murphy has raised an impressive amount of money and leads all declared opponents, some by as much as 10 points. His path to victory is to cobble together the so-called 'Obama coalition'. He is counting on strong voter participation in what is a Presidential election year. His campaign has a definite air of youth about it and he's active in social media and savvy when it comes to information technology. Google Patrick Murphy and the first entry is to a page where one can pledge support for his Senate campaign. His strong support for social security and immigration reform are targeted to please Seniors and Latino voters. The strong business background his family represents provides him with advantages among the business community and his pleasant, non-controversial manner and charming demeanor are calculated to win over even the most cynical audiences. The hallmark of Patrick's campaigns are that he does not attack opponents or use negative tactics; his is an optimistic vision of what politics can do and how service and pragmatism are essential to governing well.

As with his father, Patrick has an 'easy manner and ready sense of humor [that] belie an ironclad will'. He has a certain sparkle in his eye and a mildly Irish 'bad boy' image underneath the smooth, amiable exterior. There are definitely parallels with the 35th President and the Kennedy saga in general. He is determined to leave his mark on Florida politics and succeed in his campaign to join the US Senate. As you observe him you realize he just might make it to the Senate... and beyond.

as he careens through the Republican field like a wrecking ball through a demolition site, he will prove to be a benefit to our public discourse and political future. Like castor oil or prunes, he's a necessary purgatory for the worse within us.

Well known and beloved in our community, Ana Sol is working extremely hard to raise money and make sure that the Hispanic community is fully and completely behind her. Known as a tough, hard fighter and loving grandmother, not only to her family but to the entire community, Ana Sol has now become the epitome of the classic campaigner. She fiercely defends her positions and defines the reasons she deserves support. She never goes off message and she bangs home her points to resounding applause and bravos from her supporters. She has been raising money now for many months and is persistent and indefatigable not only fundraising, but appearing everywhere there is an Hispanic crowd.

She explains that this work with her community so far in advance (her primary election is April 26th, 2016) is necessary both because the Latino community needs to be aware of who is running and must register to vote since many do not exercise their franchise. She also wants to raise a significant amount of money early to make sure she's considered a serious candidate with real possibilities of winning this race.

The fundraiser, held at Jaleo in Bethesda, had special significance seeing as how the owner, Jose Andres, who graciously offered the space and laid out a delicious spread washed down with the house Sangria, was indicating his support for a Latina candidate to office. Jose Andres is having his own issues with Donald Trump over his proposed restaurant project which he cancelled after Mr. Trump's disturbing comments about Mexicans and Latinos in general.

It is refreshing and exciting to see this little fireball of energy that we all know and love so aggressively attacking the issues before her and the obstacles in her path. She reminded me of Barbara Mikulski. She faces heavy competition and remains undaunted. She has a real possibility of winning having represented many of the same constituents in the 8th District during her 14 years as state senator. Her progressive views and advocacy for the rights of immigrants has placed her squarely in the progressive wing of her party and endeared her to a large portion of her constituents who share her views. The 8th District is home to Chris Van Hollen who is running for the Senate and must give up his seat. It is a District with many of the same progressive values as the Congressman and Ana Sol. Her message resonates and her passion and drive make her a formidable candidate.

Please look her up on her campaign website and support her with whatever you can. It is not only an historic campaign, but Ms. Sol Gutierrez will make a superb Congresswoman and enrich the august body with her competence, dynamism and a perspective sorely needed.